357 Magnum Ammo

The .357 Magnum is one of the most popular centerfire
revolver cartridges produced. It has proven its effectiveness in decades of police use as well as use in civilian self defense. Hunters have also used
this cartridge to take game such as deer and feral hogs.

The .357 Magnum was the first and remains the most popular of the magnum handgun calibers. Introduced in 1935 as a step up from the .38 Special, the .357 Magnum was developed by the legendary Elmer Keith, Col. D.B. Wesson of Smith and Wesson and Winchester firearms and Phil Sharpe, a prominent gun writer of the time. This project used a case almost identical to the .38 Special with one major exception; the case was 0.125” longer. Sharpe developed a charge that pushed the 158 grain bullet used in the .38 Special beyond the 1,500 foot per second mark using an 8 ¾” barrel using a Smith and Wesson .38/44 Outdoorsman revolver. From this work came what would be known as the Smith and Wesson Model 27.

Besides the S&W Model 27, there have been a plethora of revolvers built to handle the .357 Magnum cartridge. The popularity among law enforcement and civilians alike has kept demand for the .357 Magnum high since its introduction. All the major firearms and commercial ammo manufacturers have firearms or make ammo for the .357 Magnum.

Along with many Law Enforcement agencies, U.S. military personnel used the .357 Magnum from World War II to the Vietnam Conflict. One particularly notable user of this caliber was General George S. Patton. He carried an ivory, not pearl, handled S&W .357 along with his single action .45 Long Colt.

One of the interesting facts about the .357 Magnum is that while most commonly found in revolvers, other types of firearms use this caliber as well. Marlin, Henry and other major manufacturers build lever action rifles chambered for the .357 Magnum. Israeli Military Industries and Coonan both manufacture semi auto pistols that shoot the .357 Magnum and Ruger has introduced a .357 Magnum bolt action rifle. Consider that there are also several single shot and even pump action rifles to be had, and the idea of the perfect rifle and pistol combination in .357 Magnum is not a far fetched one.

The .357 Magnum, while not among the popular choices among police agencies due to the advantages offered by semi auto pistols, is still a very valid hunting and personal defense cartridge. Hornady makes their famous LEVERevoution ammo in .357 that is very popular among medium and even large North American game hunters. Magtech offers their First Defense, solid copper bullet, self defense ammunition in .357 Magnum. The versatility of the .357 Magnum and the multitude of platforms that it comes in work together to ensure that the first Magnum will remain among one of the most popular magnums on the market.

Discuss 357 Magnum ammunition by adding your comment to the 1 comment below or by asking a new question

Doug said: "This ammo would have gotten better quality rating but there was a lot of unburned residue left in the action of my firearm. I was shooting a Desert Eagle and although the ammo burned "dirty" this never effected accuracy or function of my firearm. It did function without interruption and was surprisingly accurate for the price."

3ddi3myboy said: "Good prices and delivery; that is all I ask. Many thanks!"

Jersy said: "A quality product at a really good price. You can not go wrong with this this selection."

Doug said: "This ammo would not function two rounds in a row in my firearm. I had problems with rounds loading from the magazine, and I had rounds fail to eject cleanly. I did shoot some one at a time and the accuracy was not up to snuff with other brands. This pistol can be finicky with this type of bullet, but it really didn't like this load. "

Bret said: "I have used other Fioochi ammo with my .357 handgun and my carbine with no problems and this ammo continues that excellent performance. Shoots well and fed without a hitch. "

murphy said: "The best price by far on the web & beats the local stores. I was pleased by how fast my order arrived! I liked the donations the store offers & wished more offered it. I'll order more ammo when ya'll get more in. Very glad I found this site. Thank you. Lee"

No nickname said: "I am just stocking up. The ammo has not been used, but I am sure the performance will be fine. The price was right and I have bought the Federal Brand before. The quality is good.
Shipping was fast and will order from Ammo.Net again."

Robert said: "I found this product to be adequate for my needs. My only wish is that Washington stops jacking up the price. Soon we won't be able to afford it and that is their goal. We will probably see this in our lifetime."